Connect with us

Equipment

Jake Knapp discusses why he opts for a mini driver instead of a 3-wood

Published

on

The following is an excerpt from a piece we filed for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head on over there for the full story, which also includes the Mexico Open winner discussing how he configures his PXG irons set up. 

Knapp may be a Tour rookie, but he’s experienced enough to know what works for him. And it’s not a 3-wood.

“I put in a 3-wood every once in a while, but I was just never able to find one that I loved,” Knapp told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday. “Three woods, in general, I just hit on the bottom of the face. They spin a lot and don’t go anywhere.”

Rather than using a fairway wood, Knapp goes with a TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver that has 13.5 degrees of loft. The club complements his 9-degree Ping G425 LST driver.

During a fitting session in Oklahoma last year, Knapp told his fitter he was looking for a club that goes 286 yards, and his first three shots with the mini driver went between 285 and 290.

“It’s just an easier club to hit than a 3-wood,” Knapp explained. “It spins more off the ground, but I don’t need it off the ground too often. And from 270+ yards away, you’re not really trying to be too precise. You’re just trying to get it up around the green most of the time. So, for me, it’s really just a tee club and kind of a fairway finder for me.”

Read more here and check out Jake Knapp’s full WITB below.

Driver: Ping G425 LST (9 degrees @7.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5

Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 95 6.5

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (2), PXG 0311 X (4), PXG 0211 ST (5-PW) 
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei White Hybrid 100 TX (2), KBS Tour C-Taper 130 X (4-PW)

Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II (52-10), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56.5-10S), WedgeWorks (60-T @61)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper 130 X (52, 56), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Double Bend
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour SGP 1.0

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot

We share your golf passion. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX, Facebook and Instagram.

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Brandon

    Feb 28, 2024 at 8:13 pm

    Same reason I carry a cobra big tour 3 wood. I almost never hit it off the turf. Feel much more confident with a hybrid than I do with any 3 wood I’ve ever owned, and if I can’t reach a long par 5 in 2,so be it.

  2. Brian

    Feb 28, 2024 at 5:13 pm

    Wonder why he didn’t hit this off the tee when he was missing just about every fairway on Sunday with his driver?

  3. Chuck

    Feb 28, 2024 at 3:14 pm

    286.
    With “3”-wood.
    In the late 1990’s, the longest hitter on Tour was John Daly. He was the Tour driving distance leader for 11 out of 12 years. 1991-2002. And before the advent of the Pro-V1 and multilayer urethane balls, Daly’s Tour-leading driving distance averages were between 288 and 299.
    And now the Tour distance leaders are in the 320’s.

    • eastpointe

      Feb 29, 2024 at 8:40 am

      Imagine how far he would have hit the ball if he followed a fraction of the fitness regiment that the vast majority of players today do.

      • Chuck

        Feb 29, 2024 at 10:06 am

        There is of course an argument to be made that the ultra-low-spin technologies of the 21st century naturally (and even rightly?!) encourage and reward more fitness, more aggressive athleticism (less golfer technical skill in controlling spin) because spin is so well controlled on long shots by the urethane balls and high tech composite shafts and multimaterial alloy heads. That’s fine.

        It doesn’t answer the question of why not keep that multilayer urethane ball technology, but just roll back the overall distance significantly. Which is what the ruling bodies are beginning to attempt.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

Published

on

Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game. 

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag. 

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026. 

Continue Reading

Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

on

In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly. 

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
  • MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
  • dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

Continue Reading

Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

Published

on

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo.  4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades.  5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft.   Standard Length, Lie and Lofts.  These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me.  Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules

Continue Reading

Announcement

Our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use have been updated as of January 29th, 2026. Please review the updated policies here Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. By continuing to use our site after January 29th, 2026, you agree to the changes.

WITB

Facebook

Trending